[Nfbmo] Fwd: [nfbmi-talk] Device for the Blind by Toyota
DanFlasar at aol.com
DanFlasar at aol.com
Mon Apr 18 19:06:44 UTC 2016
There's a lot more money being spent - and implementing - driveless cars.
Google has been pushing this for years, has performed test runs in real
streets in real cities, has presented state and federal legislation to
regulate use of driverless cars and is looking for real deployment by the end of
this decade.
Googles's self-guided car initiative didn't arise from accessibility
concerns, but rather as a replacement for mass transit.
I'm reminded of the old computer geek joke that if the auto industry
had evolved as quickly as computers have you could carry your car in your
pocket, you could buy one for less than a hundred bucks and they would crash
every 15 minutes.
Dan
In a message dated 4/18/2016 12:08:50 P.M. Central Daylight Time,
nfbmo at nfbnet.org writes:
Hi,
If they do, I hope they don't invest all that time and money to just let it
sit in a garage.
Bryan
-----Original Message-----
From: Nfbmo [mailto:nfbmo-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Peter Donahue
via
Nfbmo
Sent: Monday, April 18, 2016 12:02 PM
To: NFB of Missouri Mailing List
Cc: Peter Donahue
Subject: Re: [Nfbmo] Fwd: [nfbmi-talk] Device for the Blind by Toyota
Hello everyone,
I'd be curious to know if Toyota plans to integrate this device in
to their self-driving vehicles assuming they have any under development
to enable a blind person to "Drive" them independently. Here's hoping
they'll develop an interface similar to that developed by the NFB and
Virginia Tech to allow the blind to operate self-driving vehicles
independently.
Peter Donahue
Fred Olver via Nfbmo wrote:
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
>> From: "Terry D. Eagle via nfbmi-talk" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> Date: April 16, 2016 at 7:36:12 PM CDT
>> To: "'NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List'" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> Cc: "Terry D. Eagle" <terrydeagle at yahoo.com>
>> Subject: [nfbmi-talk] Device for the Blind by Toyota
>> Reply-To: terrydeagle at yahoo.com, NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List
<nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>
>> Toyota is developing a wearable device to help give blind and
>> visually impaired people greater mobility, the manufacturer has said.
>>
>> The gadget is worn on the shoulders and uses cameras to recognise
>> surroundings, such as signs, then directs the wearer with speakers and
>> vibration motors.
>>
>> Details were released this week, though no release date has been set.
>>
>> The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) called it an
>> exciting development.
>>
>> The device has been produced by developers working on Project Blaid.
>> They said they were working on plans to introduce mapping, object
>> identification and
>> facial recognition technologies as well.
>>
>> It comes after Microsoft said it had designed a headset that uses
>> location and navigation data with a network of information beacons in
>> urban locations
>> to talk visually impaired people around cities.
>>
>> Robin Spinks, senior strategy manager at the RNIB, told the BBC: "This
>> is a very exciting development within the rapidly growing field of
>> wearable assistive
>> technology. Mobility is at the heart of so much in our society and a
>> device like Blaid could open up limitless possibilities for millions of
>> blind and
>> partially sighted people."
>>
>> 'Mobility'
>>
>> In an announcement made this week, Toyota said the device was not meant
>> to replace those aids currently available to blind and visually impaired
>> people,
>> but to "help fill the gaps left by canes, dogs and basic GPS devices by
>> providing users with more information about their surroundings".
>>
>> In a video posted online,
>> it showed how the device could be used to distinguish between one door
>> marked gentlemen's toilet and another marked exit. Toyota said it was
>> primarily
>> intended to help users navigate indoors.
>>
>> "Project Blaid is one example of how Toyota is leading the way to the
>> future of mobility, when getting around will be about more than just
>> cars," said
>> Toyota executive Simon Nagata. "We want to extend the freedom of
>> mobility for all, no matter their circumstance, location or ability."
>>
>> The firm said that, as part of the project - which is not linked to the
>> manufacture of cars for which it is better known - it was asking
>> employees to submit
>> videos of common indoor landmarks that developers could use to teach
the
>> device to recognise them
>> Posted originally by:
>>
>> Victor Gouveia
>> Vice-President
>> Training Coordinator
>> VIP Tech
>> victor.gouveia at rogers.com
>>
>> __._,_
>>
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m
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